DOCSLIB.ORG

Download 2016 Annual Report

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Download 2016 Annual Report The Center for Home Movies 2016 Annual Report Table of Contents 2016 In Review 2 Home Movie Day GIF Contest 2 Home Movie Archives Database Project 3 Home Grown Movies 3 Home Movie Day 2016 4 Home Movie Day Participating Cities 7 Board of Directors Activity and Retreat 8 CHM Board Members Lists 10 Financial Activity 10 List of Home Movie Day Organizers and Volunteers 11 1 2016 IN REVIEW 2016 saw the Center for Home Movies carrying on with well-established programs such as Home Movie Day and Home Grown Movies, and increasing the scope and usage of the Home Movie Registry, while instituting a fun new tradition in the Home Movie GIF Contest and launching a new grant-funded project to survey the amateur film collections in existence in a broader range of institutions than we’ve ever approached before. We even curated a sold-out screening of home movies at Jack White’s Third Man Records in Nashville! Here are the details. PRESERVATION WORK, NEW COLLECTIONS, AND SCREENINGS 1st Annual Home Movie Day GIF Contest CHM is always searching for innovative ways to draw the public's attention to home movies and to highlight the efforts of the devoted archives and individuals who oversee the preservation and access of these important cultural documents. Through their hard work, a veritable wealth of home movies is streaming right now through various platforms. To activate engagement with these home movies and to garner excitement for Home Movie Day, we launched our inaugural HMD.GIF contest this past fall. We asked the public to make and submit GIFs (Graphics Interchange Format) made from home movies they found online or in their own collections. We received 25 submissions from across the United States and Japan, which can be enjoyed on our contest tumblr page: https://centerforhomemovies.tumblr.com. The winner received a $200 cash prize and was selected by a panel of judges including scholar and artist Jennifer Proctor and CHM board members Katrina Dixon and Antonella Bonfanti. The winning entry was “girl dancing in the yard,” submitted by the Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI). It was tough to pick a favorite among all the wonderful submissions, but the funky gal, dancing endlessly in a perfect loop, captured the heart of our judges unanimously. We will launch the 2nd annual HMD.GIF contest in the Fall of 2017. 2 Home Movie Archives Database project CHM was excited to receive a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) to create the Home Movie Archives Database, a survey of home movies and amateur films in archival collections in the United States. We regularly receive queries from people asking us where they can find home movies of a certain place or event or type, and too often we don't know where to send them because there is no central database of archival home movie collections. We have developed a network of colleagues in film archives, but we have also known that there are countless collections that are held in manuscript collections in archives, libraries, and museums. We are scouring online catalogs and contacting organizations about their collections in order to create as comprehensive a directory as possible. The database will be published in fall 2017, with information about thousands of collections in 300 archives around the country. A 3rd year of Home Grown Movies Home Grown Movies, CHM's ongoing project of posting compelling home movies on our website, continued in its third year with eight new additions from around the world. This group ended up having a particular focus on the 1950s and 1960s, but showed a wonderful diversity of styles. Mumbai Fashion Show is an unidentified orphan film of a 1960s fashion show that was purchased at an antique store in Mumbai. Christmas, by home moviemaker Skip Hawkins, captures the rituals of a Christmas morning, with energetic editing and a distinct late 1960s style. Easter and Funeral is a film shot by Hubert M. James during spring 1963 in and near Flowery Branch, Georgia in two distinct sections. The first shows the James family children searching for Easter eggs at their home, and the second the funeral of WWII veteran and James family relative John A. Reed. Cuba, Severna Park Maryland documents James and Mary Gordon’s vacation in Cuba during Batista’s regime in the mid to late 1950s, followed by wintery scenes and children sledding back home in Maryland. Orphan Spanish Home Movies are two untitled, anonymous films from Memorias Celuloides Archive in Cartagena. One depicts the filmmaker’s home life, while the other contains haunting accidental superimpositions. The Royce Family at Disneyland are two home movies shot at Disneyland in the late 1950s, soon after its opening. 3 Brand Five, a thrift store find, is an unfinished spy movie apparently shot by an American GI in 1960s Germany. Up until now, the films have been contributed by Home Movie Day representatives and posted in annual "seasons" of groups of films, but beginning in 2017 we will instead seek out home movies from the public, and post them occasionally as they become available. Once again, we would like to thank Movette Film Transfer in San Francisco for their support in providing transfer services making several of the entries possible. Home Movie Day 2016 Home Movie Day, CHM's annual all-volunteer event, was held on October 15th, with other events going on through the year. We continue to be thankful for all of the local organizers, volunteers and organizations who step up and make it such a special part of the year. Increasingly, Home Movie Day is becoming a part of larger amateur film events. This year, HMD organizers also put on a film processing workshop, a home movie repair clinic, a display of home movie equipment, a year-long series of museum exhibits on home movies, and screenings of amateur films from the host archives, including a show of David Lean's home movies. From its modest start fifteen years ago, the biggest surprise and delight to us at the Center for Home Movies has been event's growth overseas. Japan has always been a kind of second home to Home Movie Day, in a large part to the Film Preservation Society, which coordinates the Japanese events. Europe has also seen numerous events each year, and South America has been a particular growth area in recent years. This year there were Home Movie Day events held in a record 23 countries. A complete list of events appears later in this report, but here's the impressive list of host countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay. Two countries, Israel and Albania, celebrated their first Home Movie Days, and we would like to feature their reports here: Jerusalem, Israel (Report by Hila Abraham): On October 18, 2016 the first Israeli home movie day ever took place at the Jerusalem Cinematheque – Israel Film Archive which is the home for Israeli Cinema and leader in the field of Israeli audiovisual preservation. Open to the public free of charge, people were invited to bring their home movies to a celebration of small gauge films which 4 together covered a whole range of places, time periods, subjects, and atmosphere written on celluloid. An audience of 25 people arrived and together we watched these images of the past accompanied by a live music performance of a harp player. People were invited to speak up during the screening – comment on what they saw or tell the story behind the film, exchanging experience, wonders and thoughts. A team inspected the films before the screening and tips were provided as to how to best take care of them in order to prolong their lives. For two hours, together with the greater international community who celebrate Home Movie Day, we gave the people the gift of sharing their personal memories as were captured by them or fellow community members in different times and different places. The range of films was incredible, including several pearls: Himsley-Farkash Home Movie collection (1917-1994): Hanna Himsley-Farkash (1917- 1994) arrived in Israel in 1926. 20 years later Hanna received her Ph.D. in bacteriology from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Between 1945 and 1982, Hanna shot hundreds of home movies portraying Israel before its independence, the opening ceremony of the Weizmann Technology Institute, her journeys to Canada and the U.S., her life as a woman professor in the Hebrew University, trips she took all over Israel, and much more. Himsley-Farkash collection is preserved at the Israel Film Archive. Films from Yad Va'Shem – The world Holocaust Remembrance Center: films that documented the Jewish community in Germany during the 30s, portraying everyday encounters and playful moments in a small village. High school experimental film – shooting on film is more than rare in Israel today, so we were so happy to watch together this little gem made by a high school student during the early 2000. In his own words: "It was my high school teacher who opened me to the world of film and encouraged me to experiment with this medium & making a film on a super 8 camera. He helped me to find a camera and some super 8 mm film stock. This is a great opportunity for me to see it once again, as I haven't seen the film since I was in high school. There's no way for me to see it otherwise if I wish to see it as it was captured – on film".
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Intervention Can Save Life
    Welcome Law Student OREGON ATTORNEY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM s IN SIGHT for Oregon Lawyers IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE September 2004 INTERVENTION CAN port to the alcoholic. Over the years, brief Issue No. 55 SAVE AN ALCOHOLIC’S informal interventions can sometimes LIFE make a difference, but not all alcoholics will respond to this approach. If the dis- People used to believe that alcoholics ease has progressed too far, an informal had the ability to control their drinking, intervention may not be able to penetrate but they just weren’t willing to do so. the alcoholic’s highly developed defense Now we know that alcoholism is a pro- systems. gressive neurological disease strongly in- fluenced by genetic vulnerability. We A crisis intervention is more immedi- also know that willpower is as powerless ate and forceful. When a crisis occurs, to alter the neurochemical changes in al- the event can be used to persuade the al- coholics as it is to stabilize blood sugar coholic to get help. Examples of crisis fluctuations in diabetics. situations related to alcoholism include hospitalization caused by intoxication, a Concerned family members and drunk-driving charge, a potentially vio- friends of an alcoholic can help the alco- lent child custody situation, or a suicide holic by learning about the disease of al- attempt. The crisis intervention focuses coholism and the symptoms associated attention on the underlying cause of the with its early, middle, and late stages. emergency – neurological addiction to the Once the alcoholic’s family and friends drug alcohol – and then directs the alco- understand the true nature of the disease, holic into alcohol treatment.
    [Show full text]
  • Northeasthistoricfilmcarlson 39
    NortheastHistoricFilmCarlson 1/29 Please review the Application Guidelines for details about the information requested in this proposal. Fields marked with an asterisk are required. Eligibility To be eligible for a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant in 2016, applicant projects must meet the following requirements: Minimum allowable request for 2016: $50,000 Maximum allowable request for 2016: single-institution projects: $250,000 / collaborative projects: $500,000 Minimum allowable project term: 12 months Maximum allowable project term: single-institution projects: 24 months / collaborative projects: 36 months Projects must begin between January 1 and June 1, 2017 Single-institution projects must be completed by May 31, 2019 Collaborative projects must be completed by May 31, 2020 Is this a collaborative project? Yes/No Yes What is the size of the request? NOTE: The minimum acceptable request in this program, for all projects, is $50,000. Single-institution projects can request no more than $250,000. Collaborative projects can request no more than $500,000. Amount Requested $322,092 Provide the proposed project length in whole months, and list the project start and end dates. NOTE: All projects must begin between January 1 and June 1, 2017. The minimum project length, for all projects, is 12 months. Single-institution projects can last up to 24 months and must end by May 31, 2019. Collaborative projects can last up to 36 months and must end by May 31, 2020. Project length (months) 18 Project Start Date 01/01/2017 Project End Date 06/30/2018 NortheastHistoricFilmCarlson 2/29 A note regarding principal investigators: An individual may not be named as a principal investigator (PI) on more than one proposal, and may not serve as PI on two funded projects simultaneously.
    [Show full text]
  • PDF (142.67 Kib)
    At the Crossroads of Jim Donnelly Metal Music West Coast News and Comedy By Justine Taormino ’06 By Peter Gordon ’78 Northern California alumni are abuzz At the improbable intersection of Brendon Small ’97 with news of their work in a variety metal music, animated TV, and stand- of areas. Here are some recent high- up comedy, the story of guitarist, com- lights. poser, actor, and producer Brendon sitcom that aired from 1999 to 2004. Benjamin Flint ’85 of Oakland led Small ’97 stands apart. Metal fans Although he also provided the show’s two Diablo Valley College jazz choirs worldwide know him as the creative music, he rapidly became better Reno Jazz Festival where they took first mastermind behind the smash-hit ani- known as a comedian. and third places in their division. Flint mated TV show Metalocalypse and the Toward the end of the show’s run, also directs the Oakland Jazz Choir and metal bands Dethklok and Galaktikon. Small began to turn back to the guitar. has taught at Jazz Camp West. Small’s unique journey began in “I was so excited to hear what people This fall, saxophonist Sonya the laid-back northern California town were doing in metal,” he says. “They Jason ’85 of Montara, will release of Salinas, where he remembers spend- were actually playing their instruments Feels So Good: Live in Half Moon Bay, ing long hours practicing guitar and incredibly well! I now had the comedy her fourth solo album. Recorded live re-watching VHS copies of his favorite chops and could write, thanks to Home at the legendary jazz venue Bach comedies.
    [Show full text]
  • The Uses of Animation 1
    The Uses of Animation 1 1 The Uses of Animation ANIMATION Animation is the process of making the illusion of motion and change by means of the rapid display of a sequence of static images that minimally differ from each other. The illusion—as in motion pictures in general—is thought to rely on the phi phenomenon. Animators are artists who specialize in the creation of animation. Animation can be recorded with either analogue media, a flip book, motion picture film, video tape,digital media, including formats with animated GIF, Flash animation and digital video. To display animation, a digital camera, computer, or projector are used along with new technologies that are produced. Animation creation methods include the traditional animation creation method and those involving stop motion animation of two and three-dimensional objects, paper cutouts, puppets and clay figures. Images are displayed in a rapid succession, usually 24, 25, 30, or 60 frames per second. THE MOST COMMON USES OF ANIMATION Cartoons The most common use of animation, and perhaps the origin of it, is cartoons. Cartoons appear all the time on television and the cinema and can be used for entertainment, advertising, 2 Aspects of Animation: Steps to Learn Animated Cartoons presentations and many more applications that are only limited by the imagination of the designer. The most important factor about making cartoons on a computer is reusability and flexibility. The system that will actually do the animation needs to be such that all the actions that are going to be performed can be repeated easily, without much fuss from the side of the animator.
    [Show full text]
  • H Jon Benjamin on Getting Noticed
    H Jon Benjamin On Getting Noticed Patin universalizing double-quick? Accordant and erect Cyril tag while scarred Billie even her Madison creepingly and chelated cross-legged. Permitted Lonnie never noising so seemingly or barber any purlers insuperably. Rebecca romjin is getting a sliding scale. Drank with my buddies and watched the Maniac episode of Always Sunny. We are happily again is cоnnеctеd to increase property in front door until i noticed your notice will likely to each? 25 Best H Jon Benjamin Memes Benjamins Memes Alan. The brain Game Screenshot Thread or HEAVY. Expect you on dvd show lazy loaded on everyone still need for your business? For review it say like getting as the wheel just a Porsche. Just wanted rid of something dead ends 0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes. Should you good making plans for going children the law enforcement officials, I guess. H Jon Benjamin Wet Hot American what I describe like jump time come watch. Do not have starring you meet the h jon benjamin on getting noticed that more successful finance or where i will start? Was quite helpful post for ever gets through without no sense about h jon benjamin on getting noticed as soon as someone always think? Otherwise I call forward the video to siege your friends. Short film Adam Spielman. Was for watching Bobs Burgers and even worse a laugh you two out found it. It's the Gene who gets noticed in the crowd for harm spirit and cheering ability. Happy living what was're getting but yes's very rational to control on Hulu.
    [Show full text]
  • Videotape and Home Movie Day
    Videotape and Home Movie Day Incorporating video into a Home Movie Day event presents a host with technological and curatorial challenges. You’ll need to bring even more equipment including numerous decks, cables galore, and something to show tapes on, either a video projector or a large enough monitor. Since videotapes can go on for hours, you’ll need to set time limits in advance so no one person takes up more time than other attendees. But with a little planning you can easily be showing families’ histories recorded on tape alongside those on good ol’ small gauge film. Equipment Needs There is a daunting number of consumer-level videotape and optical video formats. But just as you can't expect to have a projector for every film format, you shouldn't expect to support every video format. In our experience, the most popular formats are VHS and Video8. DVD is also common format for people bringing in already-transferred home movies. You’ll need to balance your expectations of what video formats your particular audience will be bringing in with how much effort it will be to bring in a particular format. Other video formats to consider include, but are not limited to, Hi8, Digital8, Betamax, DV, SHS, and VHS-C. And don’t forget the difference between PAL, NTSC, and SECAM. Also, don’t forget to have enough cords and adapters to connect video decks to the monitor/projector. Depending on how many decks you are bringing to your HMD event, you might want to consider getting a video switcher.
    [Show full text]
  • Collection Highlights
    COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS “LATINOS AND BASEBALL” COLLECTING INITIATIVE Latino baseball players have been interwoven in the fabric of Major League Baseball for years. They've been some of the greatest, well-known names in baseball history. To reflect and celebrate that rich history, the National Museum of American History (“NMAH”) in collaboration with the Smithsonian Latino Center, launched Latinos and Baseball: In the Barrios and the Big Leagues. The multi-year community collecting initiative focuses on the historic role that baseball has played as a social and cultural force within Latino communities across the nation. The project launched a series of collecting events in late February in San Bernardino, California. A second event will be held in Los Angeles on July 17, 2016, and a third will be held in Syracuse, New York, on September 15, 2016. The events are designed to generate interest in the initiative, build on community relationships, record oral histories, and identify objects for possible acquisition by local historical associations as well as for the Smithsonian collections. The collaborative initiative seeks to document stories from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico and plans to collect a number of objects that could include baseball equipment; stadium signs; game memorabilia, such as handmade or mass-produced jerseys and tickets; food vendor signs; home movies; and period photographs. Curators will select objects based on the stories they represent and the insight they provide into the personal, community, and national narratives of the national pastime. “Baseball has played a major role in everyday American life since the 1800s, providing a means of celebrating both national and ethnic identities and building communities,” said John Gray, director of NMAH.
    [Show full text]
  • Logoless Episodes 『 English • Español
    1 / 2 Logoless-episodes Logoless. Here you will find all Legacies Logoless Episodes 『 English • Español ... Home MOVIES logoless movies and tv shows shout out on your story to be .... TV SHOWS SHADOWHUNTERS THE VAMPIRE DIARIES THE ORIGINALS THE 100 THE WALKING ... Posting HD & logoless TV shows and movies! ♥♥♥ .... Anonymous said: where do you download your logoless episodes of tv shows??? if you don't mind me asking of course :))) Answer: a lot of the time i get stuff .... LOGOLESS FRIENDS EPISODES. ... HOME Logoless TV episodes & movies. ... Okay, so this page will basically have requested movies & TV shows that I'm .... Mega scenepacks. 9k Followers, 4 Following, 385 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from logoless scene packs ♥ (@c. 00. //mega. TV SHOWS. D: .. Political Animals Season 1 Episode 2 720p Logoless Screencaps — 0 True ... 2019 · THE VAMPIRE DIARIES LOGOLESS EPISODES By admin August 5, 2019. Logoless Caos Scenepacks. Logoless episodes. Logoless shows Logoless shows. Art logoless tv shows mega, All shows listed on this TV guide are displayed .... Sep 19, 2020 — Logoless episodes; Logoless tv shows; Logoless movies; Logoless desires ... Logoless cast; Logoless series; Supernatural logoless episodes .... All episodes are available in HD 720p, 1080p quality, mp4 avi and mkv for mobile, pc and tablet devices. Posting HD & logoless TV shows and movies! ♥♥♥ .... Free Logoless TV Shows. ↠ full seasons only. Individual eps on twitter ↠ check website for all the links and password (highlighted story) ↠ REQUESTS .... Logoless episodes. Logoless episodes 03.01.2021 03.01.2021. Nope xD It's still there, its on the top of our masterlist : - Leah View more.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction to Confess the Gay Away? Media, Religion, and the Political Economy of Ex-Gay Therapy
    Introduction to Confess the Gay Away? Media, Religion, and the Political Economy of Ex-gay Therapy by Michael Thorn A PORTION OF THE DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ONTARIO April 2015 ©Michael Thorn, 2015 1 Introduction: Confess Thy Self? In the media debate surrounding the Christian ex-gay movement, the phrase “pray the gay away” is often used as shorthand to describe the movement’s religiously mediated sexual orientation conversion efforts. However, when one digs deeper, not just into ex-gay practices, but into the debate itself, it becomes clear that ex-gay change—regardless of whether effective or not—is less about prayer than confession and testimony. Consider writer-director Jamie Babbit’s film But I’m a Cheerleader, a campy, comedic tale of a lesbian cheerleader forced into an ex-gay conversion camp (featuring drag queen Ru Paul in a rare not-in-drag performance). The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 1999, is the second fictional pop culture text to depict the movement1 and it is all about confession. It is an iconic depiction, an intervention in the debate that is frequently referenced and imitated. It is mentioned in a 2011 documentary called This is What Love in Action Looks Like about real-life teenager Zach Stark being forced into an ex-gay conversion program; it is imitated in both a 2007 episode of the popular Comedy Central animated satire South Park, in which the character Butters is forced into an ex-gay conversion program, and a 2013 episode of Saturday Night Live featuring Ben Affleck as an ex-gay counsellor.
    [Show full text]
  • How Existing Social Norms Can Help Shape the Next Generation of User-Generated Content
    Everything I Need To Know I Learned from Fandom: How Existing Social Norms Can Help Shape the Next Generation of User-Generated Content ABSTRACT With the growing popularity of YouTube and other platforms for user-generated content, such as blogs and wikis, copyright holders are increasingly concerned about potential infringing uses of their content. However, when enforcing their copyrights, owners often do not distinguish between direct piracy, such as uploading an entire episode of a television show, and transformative works, such as a fan-made video that incorporates clips from a television show. The line can be a difficult one to draw. However, there is at least one source of user- generated content that has existed for decades and that clearly differentiates itself from piracy: fandom and “fan fiction” writers. This note traces the history of fan communities and the copyright issues associated with fiction that borrows characters and settings that the fan-author did not create. The author discusses established social norms within these communities that developed to deal with copyright issues, such as requirements for non-commercial use and attribution, and how these norms track to Creative Commons licenses. The author argues that widespread use of these licenses, granting copyrighted works “some rights reserved” instead of “all rights reserved,” would allow copyright holders to give their consumers some creative freedom in creating transformative works, while maintaining the control needed to combat piracy. However, the author also suggests a more immediate solution: copyright holders, in making decisions concerning copyright enforcement, should consider using the norms associated with established user-generated content communities as a framework for drawing a line between transformative work and piracy.
    [Show full text]
  • Newton Business Listing
    Newton Business Listing Business Name/Owner Name Address Business Type Newton Tire And Auto 79 Needham Street Gas Station/Auto Repair/Store Newton Highlands MA 02461 Timothy Branchuk 12 Bryant Street, Berkley MA 00000 Christopher Branchuk 66 Raymond Street, Weymouth MA 00000 Michael Branchuk 66 Raymond Street, Weymouth MA 00000 Euro Touch Cleaners 1213 Chestnut Street Dry Cleaners Newton Upper Falls MA 02464 yoosang Choi 651B Concord Street, Cambridge MA 02138 Segal, Eric L. CPA 41 Cabot Street Tax Consulting& Advisory Services Newton MA 02458 Eric L. Segal 41 Cabot Street, Newton MA 02458 Depasquales Grocery 241 Adams Street Grocery Store Newton MA 02458 Stephen Depasquale 537 Parker Street, Newton Centre MA 02459 STEPHEN DEPASQUALE 537 PARKER STREET, NEWTON CENTRE MA 02459 United States Investments - USI 19 Bencliffe Road Business brokerage Auburndale MA 02466 Alan M. Katz 19 Bencliff Road, Auburndale MA 02466 Content Publishing Services 1075 Washington Street Ghost Writing/Book Packaging West Newton MA 02465 Thomas F. Gorman 420 Lowell Avenue, Newtonville MA 02460 Quick Stop 293 Watertown Street Convienence store Newtonville MA 02460 Pralash Mistri 293 Watertown Street, Newtonville MA 02460 Speidel, Paul 100 Norwood Avenue Music Lessons Newtonville MA 02460 Paul Speidel 100 Norwood Avenue, Newtonville MA 02460 RS Gas 361 Washington Street Gas Station/Auto Repair Newton MA 02458 Chahine Imports Inc. 361 Washington Street, Newton MA 02458 Barnes & Noble Booksellers Inc. 170 Boylston Street Retail Bookstore/Café Chestnut Hill MA 02467 Barnes & Noble Inc. 170 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill MA 02467 Wag Tail Farm 240 Elliot Streert Dog Walking Newton Upper Falls MA 02464 Apple Berry Farm Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • The Art of Home Movies Or "To Hell with the Professionalism of Television and Cinema Producers" November 30, 1993
    The Art of Home Movies or "To Hell With The Professionalism of Television and Cinema Producers" November 30, 1993 By Richard Leacock Robert Flaherty, who made NANOOK OF THE NORTH in 1921 and then, with his wife Francis, MOANA in 1925, is quoted as having said that films would eventually be made by "amateurs". What did he mean by that? Surely not what the contemporary use of the word would imply: "incompetence". But the opposite word has changed in meaning also, "professional" now means someone who has been certified by an institution as an "expert". Our "industry" (documentary film making) is dominated by such persons, who handle complicated professional equipment with assured competence; soldiers marching off to war. I think Flaherty meant that films would be made by people who loved the art, the act of filming; who loved creating sequences that did justice to their subjects, that conveyed an exquisite sense of seeing and hearing, of being there. I spent years of my professional life working as a Cameraman, as an Editor and then as a Director-Cameraman-Editor, with cumbersome 35 mm film equipment. In despair at the clumsiness of this system, I helped in developing portable 16mm synchronous sound and film cameras. This change resulted in what came to be known as "direct cinema", a change not only in the manner of filming but also in editing. Then, trying to bring the cost of filming down I tried (not very successfully) to professionalize 8 mm film equipment. Finally, with the introduction of the CCD and its refinement in Video-8, I am working exclusively with Video-Hi-8.
    [Show full text]